OW Lee Announces Rod Wilcoxen as
Sales Representative of the Year for 2009

OW Lee proudly announces Rod Wilcoxen as Salesman of the Year for 2009. This special presentation was made during their Pre-Show Meeting at the International Casual Furniture Market in Chicago, Illinois.

Rod Wilcoxen has been selling OW Lee since 1999 and has successfully developed a strong O.W. Lee product market in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and South Dakota. Additionally Rod manages the contract sales for the same territory as well as Colorado.

This salesman award is presented each year “in recognition of outstanding performance in achievement of sales goals, excellence in customer service and comprehensive support of the management team in sales and marketing strategies”. Rod is a dedicated and service orientated professional, with a can do attitude. Congratulations to Rod Wilcoxen!

OW Lee was founded in 1947 in Pasadena, California. They are the premier manufacturer of fine wrought iron and wrought aluminum casual furniture. OW Lee manufactures heirloom quality products in Ontario, California and they are one of the few remaining companies in the Casual Furniture Industry still manufacture in the USA.

Luxe 30 Collection Wins Two Platinum Level
ADEX Platinum Awards

OW Lee is honored to be awarded two Platinum Adex Awards for its ground breaking Luxe 30 Casual Furniture Collection. The awards are for both the Indoor modular seating category and the Transitional seating category. 

Luxe 30 is a transitional/contemporary collection that incorporates sleek lines and textures of the elegant Art Deco era; Luxe 30 brings a chic indoor style to any outdoor setting.  Crafted with high grade aluminum alloy, the same sturdy material used for airplane frames, this collection is designed to withstand the outdoor elements. . “What is so exciting about these awards is that outdoor casual furniture has made a real breakthrough, winning an award in an indoor furniture category,” states Terri Lee Rogers, VP of Sales & Marketing at O.W. Lee.  “This design completes the seamless transition from the indoors to the outdoors”.

The cushioning utilizes the revolutionary Keystone cushioning system where the cushions are anchored to the frame by use of resistance with each other rather than nuts and screws.  The result is an elegant upholstered look with easily removable cushions for storage or cleaning.

The Luxe 30 collection can be customized with a choice of nine (9) durable frame finishes and over 100 stock fabrics featuring Sunbrella® high performance outdoor fabrics.  Additionally this collection allows you to choose different fabrics for the outside and the inside seating area for a unique one of a kind look.

Paul Rogers, designer of the Luxe 30 Collection and Great-Grandson of founder Oddist W. Lee says “The clean lines of this collection are reminiscent of an Art Deco style. “However, the defined angles keep it well within the realm of modern furniture, creating almost a redefined Art Deco/Contemporary fusion.”

OW Lee was founded in 1947 in Pasadena, California.  They are the premier manufacturer of fine wrought iron and wrought aluminum casual furniture.  OW Lee manufactures heirloom quality products in Ontario, California and they are one of the few remaining companies in the Casual Furniture Industry still manufacture in the USA.

Click here to view the Luxe30 Collection page.

Bob & Beverly Lee to Receive the Casual Furniture
Industry’s 2008 Lifetime Achievement Awards

Bob and Beverly Lee, owners in the family owned and operated OW Lee Co., were honored with the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2008 Apollo Awards banquet on September 17, 2008, during the Chicago International Casual Furniture and Accessories Mart™.

The prestigious award is presented by the International Casual Furnishings Association. It is reserved for individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the casual-furniture industry and to their communities.

OW Lee was founded in 1947 by Bob Lee’s father, Oddist Winfred Lee. O.W. was a welder who made gates, railings and custom furniture. If the items required upholstery, his wife, Gerda, sewed the cushions. In 1954, Bob Brown and Hugh Jordan, who had teamed up to form Brown Jordan at about the same time that Lee started his company, became part owners of OW Lee Inc. Bob Lee entered the business at age 14, working after school to file castings, cut steel bars and fetch kapok (the fluffy byproduct of the kapok tree’s seed pods), which was the filling of choice for outdoor cushions at that time.

On their first date, Beverly Lee recalls that Bob took her to see the wrought-iron dinettes in the window at Barker Brothers Furniture Store. “He pointed out that these were made by his family’s company. Although I was duly impressed . . . I did think it was a rather weird place to take a girl,” she says. They eloped 18 months later.

Beverly eventually joined Bob in the Ontario, Calif.-based business, answering phones, paying bills, keeping the books and handling credit and collections. All three of the couple’s children, Terri, Brian and Jeanine, grew up taking vacations in the back of the delivery truck. Beverly says, “The plan was to deliver the furniture first, then go camping.”

All three children also worked part time in the family business through high school, and Terri and Brian continue with the business today. A grandson, Paul, is the fourth generation to contribute to the business, having recently created some product designs that the company has implemented.

The Lees bought out partners Brown and Jordan in the early 1970s, and O.W. retired in 1977. Bob retired in the late 1990s, and Beverly retired shortly thereafter. Both spend spare time with their grandchildren, and Beverly serves on the Board of the LeRoy Haynes Center, a nonprofit organization in LaVerne, Calif., that caters to the needs of special children, including maintaining a school for autistic children and a group home for children unable to stay in their own homes.

OW Lee Celebrates Annual Martini Party in Style

On the first night of the Casual Show, OW Lee celebrated their best year ever in the history of the 61 year old company, by hosting the Annual Martini Party. Scores of friends, family and vendors were on hand to enjoy the fine food and martinis which were named after the OW Lee furniture Collections. Glen Raven Mills - Sunbrella® - sponsored the Event.

Pictured in photo:
Suzanne & John Billings,
Bob & Beverly Lee

OW Lee Names Ron Ball
2008 Salesperson of the Year

Ron Ball was presented with the company’s 2008 Salesperson of the Year Award during it’s National Sales Meeting held at the historic Mission Inn in Riverside, CA.

Ron came out on top again in our voting; factors included customer relations, customer management, number of new accounts, goal attainment and overall attitude. We are very pleased to have Ron as a member of our sales team. He is a leader and mentor for many of our sales reps.

OW Lee Names Dave Talboo
2008 Rookie Salesperson of the Year

Dave Talboo was awarded the company’s 2008 Rookie Salesperson of the Year Award during it’s National Sales Meeting held at the historic Mission Inn in Riverside, CA.

Dave came out on top in our voting; factors included, number of new accounts, goal attainment, customer relations, customer management and overall attitude. We are very happy to have Dave as a new member of our team. He is very focused and professional.

OW Lee Sales Team Honors Bob and Beverly Lee

Dean Smith, veteran sales representative, presents LifeTime Achievement Award to Bob & Beverly Lee at it’s National Sales Meeting, held at the historic Mission Inn in Riverside, CA on behalf of the entire sales team.

Other industry veterans, Dennis Thurmer and David Digirolamo gave heartfelt experiences and commentary on the many challenges and victories over the past three decades of service and association with Bob & Beverly.

“There wasn’t a dry eye” at the Annual Awards Banquet, said Dorough, “which was attended by all Managers, family members and key vendors. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful courtyard, cocktails, the magician and the fine dinner”. The Award commenced the National Sales Meeting.

OW Lee Shares In-N-Out Burger Experience

OW Lee held it’s annual Sales Meeting this year at the historic Mission Inn in Riverside, CA. The first day included lunch at the Ontario, CA factory by In-N-Out Burgers with it’s On Site Truck. Everyone was treated to the tasty lunch including all factory workers, managers, staff and sales representatives.

The day continued with the Factory Tour, the Preview of the new 2009 Collections and finally dinner, back in Riverside, at the famous Spanish restaurant, Sevilla.

OW Lee Wins Third Consecutive
Merchandise Excellence Award

O. W. Lee has been awarded it’s third consecutive Merchandise Excellence Award — for Showrooms under 5,000 s.f. — during the 2008 Casual Furniture Show in Chicago, IL.

The Award is sponsored annually by the Merchandise Mart Properties, Hearth & Home Magazine and the Casual Furniture Retailers.

TOP DOG AWARD for Green House Mall

OW Lee has awarded Green House Mall the TOP DOG AWARD for 2008. This award recognizes the goal attainment, merchandising excellence, brand commitment, that GreenHouse Mall gives to the OW Lee Co. Green House Mall continues to be one of OW Lee’s largest dealers in the United States.